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My story

18 months ago my mother-in-law, Margaret Harrison, was diagnosed with dementia. This came as a dreadful shock to us all, not least because she has always maintained a healthy, active lifestyle both mentally and physically. She was a constant help to us when our daughters were small, offering advice as well as practical help which, due to my work commitments, was invaluable. 

However despite her illness, she is still my mother-in-law. Her memory is not what it was but she still has the same feelings and loves to spend time with us all. My father-in-law is her carer, spending his days cooking, washing and cleaning as well as choosing Margaret's clothes to wear and even learning new 'skills' such as 'fixing' her hair in between hair appointments! His life in his twighlight years has been turned upside down. He NEVER complains because after 52 years of marriage, he still loves her deeply and would not dream of doing things differently.

According to the Alzheimer's society, there are currently 750,000 people suffering from dementia in the UK alone. This figure is set to rise to over 1,000,000 over the next 10 years! There is no cure. 1 in 3 people over 65 will die of dementia and latest research shows that in some cases the early signs may be apparent up to 20 years before a formal diagnosis is made.

Lorraine and I decided to raise funds through a 26 mile walk through the beautiful Northumbrian countryside. Though we know this will be a challenge, it won't be a chore. With your kind support we will be raising funds for a charity which promotes awareness of dementia, funds research to find a cure and offers practical advice and support to sufferers and their families so ensuring that people like Margaret can live well despite this terrible disease.